The discovery of rutile deposits in Yuqia-Tieshiguan area on the northern margin of Qaidam Basin and its geological significance

With such means as field geological survey, petrology and mineragraphy, the authors found eclogite-type rutile deposits in Yuqia-Tieshiguan area on the northern margin of Qaidam Basin. A simple orebody is over 1 km in length and from a few meters to tens of meters in width. The average grade of titanium phase in rutile is 2.58%, belonging to high titanium eclogite, and the deposit geological characteristics are very similar to the rutile deposit characteristics of Dabie-Sulu area. The discovery of rutile deposits in Yuqia-Tieshiguan area fills the gap of the lack of rutile deposits in the North Qaidam eclogite metamorphic belt and also suggests that the North Qaidam region has an exploration prospect of finding large-size eclogite deposits.